Learn To Say It Correctly!!

Nurses General Nursing

Updated:   Published

nurses-say-it-correctly.jpg.6b7b324be686944e89bf310af3666c2c.jpg

Doesn't it just drive you insane when someone tells you that Mr. Smith's O2 STAT is 96%?

It's O2 SAT people! Sat, short for saturation. I even hear respiratory therapists saying this. I am sooooo tempted to say something next time, but I know it's just petty, so I needed to vent here. Thank you.

Specializes in Obs.

My obs pet peeve is EPIDERMAL for epidural...as in "we're at the hospital now, she got an epidermal and is comfortable". Yes...got the epidermal. I hear this all the time! 

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×

Okay, pronunciation sometimes bothers me, and sometimes it doesn't. It's so funny that this thread started out about O2 stats, because I almost exploded the other night when 2 techs were talking about someone's sat and calling it stat over and over again. It was like nails on a chalkboard!!!

I work with someone who consistently says:

Ideal (instead of "idea")

Tropical (instead of "topical")

Pacifically (instead of "specifically")

etc.

The way pts say things doesn't usually bother me, because, as was previously stated, they are not "in the field" and don't necessarily know better. But when they say "dilauda", it's like a needle in my eye!!!

I am a notorious grammar policewoman myself, but I find myself to be more lenient on message boards like this one, instant messenger, email from a friend, etc. It's fine to make occasional mistakes, but dude, if you send me a professional email and it has typos in it, I will freak! If I read them in the newspaper or a book, I can't handle it! I used to almost stroke out when I would see typos on tests in nursing school. I was like "if I turned a paper in like this, I would lose points, but it's okay for you to give me a test that is asking me questions about a pts kidbey function????". My biggest pet peeve that has not been mentioned yet is should OF/could OF/would OF. PEOPLE! It's should + have = should've!! Argh, I can't handle this! I think I need to go lie down now. 

(and before the lay down vs. lie down debate starts, I present the following from dictionary.com:

"lie down, to assume a horizontal or prostrate position, as for the purpose of resting."

"lay down, a.to give up; yield: to lay down one's arms. b.to assert firmly; state authoritatively: to lay down rigid rules of conduct. c.to stock; store: to lay down wine. d.Shipbuilding. to draw at full size (the lines of a hull), as on the floor of a mold loft; lay off; loft. ")

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Home Care, Hospice, OB.
miko014 said:
Think I need to go lie down now. 

I was fixin' ta carry meself to home, anywho... ?

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in LTC, ER.
miko014 said:

(and before the lay down vs. lie down debate starts, I present the following from dictionary.com:

"lie down, to assume a horizontal or prostrate position, as for the purpose of resting."

"lay down, a.to give up; yield: to lay down one's arms. b.to assert firmly; state authoritatively: to lay down rigid rules of conduct. c.to stock; store: to lay down wine. d.Shipbuilding. to draw at full size (the lines of a hull), as on the floor of a mold loft; lay off; loft. ")

Thank you so much for clearing up lie down vs. lay down! I have struggled with which one to use for my entire life.

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Trauma, Pain Managaement.

jaguar pronounced (jag-YOU-ar)

And in the context of my cirrent job, a cust. service rep for the local newspaper, "I need to talk to you about my PERSCRIPTION"

Can't help you with that yet, not qualified.... I can talk to you about you SUBscription....

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×

sometimes i think (inside) it can be funny, like it a patient says amerdony and I'm like, "you mean amioderone?" but the sat/stat one does irk me too

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×

Oh, these are killing me!!!!!!!!!

"Orientated" makes my head explode...along with"On-o-cology" and one nurse I knew who pronounced Ibuprofen "Ibb-u-profen"

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ER, PACU, Med-Surg, Hospice, LTC.

I can't stand "at".

For example:

-"Where ya at?"

-"Where do you live at?"

-"Where is the order at?"

-"Where's the IV pole at?"

-"Where did you work at?"

You get the idea.........

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Orthopedics/Med-Surg, LDRP.

The mispronunciation of Diflucan drives me nuts.

I hate the way my husband says New York State. It's hard to describe I say it in descending intonation or at least a reasonable equality through the phrase. He'll start low, then make York the crescendo and back down on State. Drives me up a WALL!

I've heard "Perky-set" for Percocet, Vikey-den" for Vicoden and I hate the word Norco for Vicoden. One doctor uses it all the time and before him I'd never heard it a day in my life.

Prostrate kills me and "crick" for "creek". I know it's local, but my grandmother was raised just 10 miles from where I did and she's the only person I've ever heard say it.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in onc, M/S, hospice, nursing informatics.
TemperTantrum said:
jaguar pronounced (jag-YOU-ar)

And in the context of my cirrent job, a cust. service rep for the local newspaper, "I need to talk to you about my PERSCRIPTION"

Can't help you with that yet, not qualified.... I can talk to you about you SUBscription....

As with some other pronunciations, "jaguar" is often a regional preference (see dictionary.com).

Also, it's "current" not "cirrent" 

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in LTC, ER.
NJNursing said:
The mispronunciation of Diflucan drives me nuts.

I hate the way my husband says New York State. It's hard to describe I say it in descending intonation or at least a reasonable equality through the phrase. He'll start low, then make York the crescendo and back down on State. Drives me up a WALL!

I've heard "Perky-set" for Percocet, Vikey-den" for Vicoden and I hate the word Norco for Vicoden. One doctor uses it all the time and before him I'd never heard it a day in my life.

Prostrate kills me and "crick" for "creek". I know it's local, but my grandmother was raised just 10 miles from where I did and she's the only person I've ever heard say it.

https://www.drugs.com/monograph/hydrocodone.html

Norco is the same as Vicodin. I've administered it. See above link.

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
I love my cat! said:
I can't stand "at".

For example:

-"Where ya at?"

-"Where do you live at?"

-"Where is the order at?"

-"Where's the IV pole at?"

-"Where did you work at?"

You get the idea.........

?

Since we are on grammar now:

"a myriad of"

"I seen..."

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment